Another matter, “behold, I will rain down bread for you from the heavens,” that is what is written: “Cast your bread upon the water, for after many days you will find it” (Ecclesiastes 11:1). Rabbi Ḥanin said: When the Holy One blessed be He called Abraham, he answered Him: “He said: Here I am [hineni]” (Genesis 22:1). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘As you live, with that same expression I will reward your descendants,’ as it is stated: “Behold, I [hineni] will rain down bread for you from the heavens.”
In his regard, the verse says: “He who walks wholeheartedly is a righteous man” (Proverbs 20:7), this is Abraham, in whose regard it is written: “Walk before Me, and be wholehearted.” (Genesis 17:1). “Happy are his children after him” (Proverbs 20:7). You find that everything that Abraham our patriarch performed himself for the ministering angels, the Holy One blessed be He performed for his descendants in the wilderness.
He said: “Let a little water be taken” (Genesis 18:4) by means of an intermediary. The Holy One blessed be He provided water by means of an intermediary. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock” (Exodus 17:6).7Rather than God providing water for the Israelites directly, He commanded Moses to strike the rock and cause water to emerge. [Abraham] said: “And wash your feet” (Genesis 18:4), and He repaid them in the wilderness, as it is stated: “I will bathe you in water” (Ezekiel 16:9). [Abraham] said: “And recline beneath the tree” (Genesis 18:4), and the Holy One blessed be He “spread a cloud like a curtain” (Psalms 105:39). [Abraham] accompanied them, as it is stated: “Abraham was going with them to see them off” (Genesis 18:16), and the Holy One blessed be He repaid his descendants, as it is stated: “And the Lord was going before them by day” (Exodus 13:21). [Abraham] said: “I will fetch a piece of bread” (Genesis 18:5), and the Holy One blessed be He said: “Behold, I will rain down bread for you.”
Rabbi Yehuda Halevi ben Rabbi Shalom said in the name of Rabbi Yona, and also Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Ḥanina: The manna should have fallen for them for [all of their] forty-two journeys. Where did it [begin to] fall? It was at Alush. Why at Alush?
It was due to the merit that Abraham said: “Knead [lushi] and prepare cakes” (Genesis 18:6), that the Holy One blessed be He repaid his descendants: “Behold, I will rain down bread for you from the heavens.”